Treason
by Dreamingofcas
Summary: When Cassandra, faces charges of treason against vampire kind, she has no choice but to defend herself in an audience with the Volturi. Although it is Aro that initially seeks an interest in her unknown power, his brother, Marcus, begins to find a much greater intrigue in their new guest as time progresses. But what will their time together reveal? OC/Marcus
1. Chapter 1 - The Beginning of the End

It was almost morning by the time she had awoken and found herself standing by the window. Her silhouette stood out against the soft orange of the rising sun, and whilst pressed up against the foggy glass, her fingertips began tracing random, meaningless shapes across its wet surface. A chilled, but short breeze began to run down her goose-bumped covered skin, making the skirt of her dress ripple across the hard-wood floor. The green hills of Florence lay scattered out in front of her, the clouds beginning to shrink under the glow of the morning sun.

Her other hand clutched her head, her brain throbbing and feeling drained from the lack of sleep. It had only been once they had arrived in Italy last night she'd had a chance to finally get some after the long flight. Since it was now morning, she was feeling the full effects of jet lag and fatigue from not having a proper meal in hours.

What had brought her to Italy? It was not planned or really desired in any sense. She had always wanted to come and experience the beautiful culture, but always stayed clear due to the mysterious rumours of rulers in dark cloaks that snatched people like her into their claws - only to never be seen again.

The thought of the Volturi led her heart to start beating a million miles again, similarly to when she found out the news yesterday morning. She had lost track of time already. She didn't even know much about them at all, only the bits and pieces Elezaer had informed her about on the plane last night. She knew there were 3 rulers, Aro being the most important, and the one she had to convince for her life.

She could remember the image of his face, the one in Carlisle's study she seen several years earlier. The memory of his dark, almost seemingly pitch-black hair that matched his cloak slightly terrified her. And so, to try and attempt to calm herself, she began humming a soft tune of some piano tune she'd heard in an opera from years ago, before stopping at a sound that interrupted her. She heard his footsteps before she heard his voice. Short but loud steps across the soft wooden floor of the hotel they were staying in.

"Cas.." He began, his voice having an underlying tone of emotion, but as usual not fully giving anything away.

She turned slowly to face him before replying. "I'm fine Elezar." she muttered before continuing "really".

"You don't look fine" he spoke back quickly, his dark eyes kept on the floor. She knew he hadn't fed in almost 3 days; his eyes beginning to turn to a dark black from the bright gold they usually were. But he surprised her with his next question. "How much sleep did you get last night?"

"Have you heard anything?" she asked instead, ignoring the roll of his eyes at the evasion of his question.

He shook his head.

"Not anything at all?"

"Nothing Cas."

"So what now?" She asked, voice uncertain but slightly concerned. "You said you spent hundreds of years under Aro, are you sure he wouldn't even listen to you?"

"No" he interrupted her, now making eye-contact with her concerned brown eyes. He always seemed slightly triggered whenever Aro's name was mentioned, although Cas wasn't exactly sure why. "You're human Cas, there are no exceptions in the eye of Volturi law. None."

She wanted to argue back, use that Cullen girl as an example she'd heard about a few months back, but deep down she knew it was pointless. After all, she wasn't a Cullen, or from any family that held the Volturi's favour. She was just Cas. Simple.

"So what now?" She repeated again, but different this time - more accepting.

"How about.." he began, "what do you want to do today?"

"You mean my last day alive?"

"No" he cut back, ignoring the raise of her eyebrows, "I mean, you always told me you wanted to visit Italy, surely there's something you want to do here?"

"And if there is?"

"Tell me Cas"

She almost found herself smiling at the question, despite the sickening nature of it.

"I've always wanted to see the Sistine Chapel.." she confessed with an almost childish glee.

"Your mother never took you?"

"How could she?" Castiel asked, "The Volturi runs Italy, and besides, no-one dares to come here without some kind of fucked up reason…"

"That much is true." he laughed as she smiled slightly too, trying to take notes off the sombre atmosphere of the room.

"Is there really no chance Eleazar?" She asked him, now looking directly into his dark eyes as she leaned back against the now clear glass of the window.

"I'm sorry Cas."

And so with everything made clear, she stood up where she had been perched across the window pane, the long skirt of her summer dress trailing against her bare feet as she walked the foot of the room towards him. She grabbed the long navy-green parka that had been hanging up beside the door. Pulling one arm through it, she turned to face him, eyes bright and waiting expectantly.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" She asked him almost quizzically, before continuing. "There's no point being sombre Eleazar" she reminded him, before pulling his black jacket off the hook for him too and handing it to him. "let's make this a night to remember.." She expressed before pausing, "one, I'll never forget."

She in that moment thought this would be her last night alive, or her kind of alive, whatever that meant. She knew tomorrow would only bring bad to both to their lives and everyone included. Her fate would be a domino effect. Elezaer had managed to atleast get an audience with Aro, but that didn't mean much considering their tarnished friendship after his leaving several years prior.

It was a strange kind of moment for Cas, she didn't want her dear friend to see her pain, to see how truly scared and vulnerable she felt in that moment. But in a fucked up way, it felt like her life had been building up to this moment, every whisper and mention of the Volturi throughout the years had inevitably lead to her meeting them, and the mysterious Aro. she didn't know what to expect, but maybe that was best.

And so, with a heavy heart and her mind running full of scary and wild thoughts, the pair set off into the night not knowing what tomorrow would bring, or if they'd even be alive to see the sun rising again the next morning.

And so we have the first chapter! I really hope you enjoyed reading this, it popped into my head one night and I stayed up till 3am writing the rough outline. I've always loved the Volturi and felt they weren't completely given justice in the original movies, so here's my take on them! Let me know what you thought of the chapter and Cas' fate will be revealed in the coming chapters! :)


	2. Chapter 2 - Cold Feet

"Hey Cas!" Elezaer laughed, as she grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the entrance of a local bar. The evening sky was beginning to turn a dark navy blue, with silver stars starting to sparkle amongst it. Her tote bag from the Sistine Chapel gift shop dangled off the end of her arm, next to her bracelets; making a beautiful chiming sound, that stood out amongst the bustle of tourists and cars racing down the streets.

"Come on!" she called after him, pulling harder on his arm as they neared the entrance.

"Are you insane?"

"Maybe" she giggled as they stepped through. It was hot inside, the huge windows and doors opened to let the cool evening air in, as people chatted mutedly inside. They walked together, arms linked, towards the bar - where they each took a seat as its front.

Cas sighed, feeling the smooth, glossy wood underneath her, as she rested her pale arms upon its surface. She then turned to face Eleazer; eyes bright with excitement. "What are you having?" he asked, eyes beginning to sparkle too.

"I don't know…" she said before giggling "surprise me."

As he ordered their drinks to the bartender in Italian, she continued to look around the bar. Sighing, from a mixture of tiredness and brief anxiety, she rubbed her eyes and then placed her face in her hands. Her skin was almost sticky from the heat, and consequently - her cheeks had flushed a soft pink. Turning to face him, she lifted one foot to cross it across her flowing skirt; letting the ribbon of her sandal dangle over the seat. "What did you order me Eleazer?"

"I thought you wanted it to be a surprise Cassie" he remarked with a smirk.

"Hey!" she scolded him lightly with her hand, "don't call me that"

"Sorry I forgot" he reassured, letting his fingers gently rest near her outstretched hand - a sign of his brief forgiveness. They sat like that for a while, the silence rolling over them in waves as they tuned out the clunky noises of the bartender mixing their drinks in the background. But Elezaer still had questions, even now.

"So.." he began, "How has your 'last night alive been'?"

She thought over his question for a few seconds, before responding. "It's actually been pretty good.." she confessed slowly, even slightly confused herself, at how happy she felt right now. "yes" she affirmed again, "it's really been a night to remember.."

"That pleases me greatly Cas" his voice almost turning content. Elezaer felt fulfilled, like at least something he'd done in her mess of a life had some joy within it. Trying to make eye contact with her, he was about to continue, but was interrupted by the bartender placing their drinks down in-front of them. They were two huge glasses, circular in shape - almost like a giant bowl, filled to the brim with a sugary blue substance that sparkled in the light. A tiny umbrella peeked out from the top, that bobbed amongst the frosted ice cubes dancing inside.

"Blue moon?" she asked, unable to hide the smile spreading from her lips. He simply nodded back, handing the man a large bundle of bills with a knowing look, that instantly sent him away - more than satisfied. "Does this please you?"

"El, it's perfect.."

She wanted to say something, anything… but found herself speechless, instead opting to smile gleefully, as she twirled her tiny yellow umbrella between her fingertips.

"How did you know?" She asked a while later, after she'd spent some time pondering over the question herself, "I mean, this is my favourite after all…"

"Ah.." he smirked back, much to her amusement "my lips are sealed.."

She wanted to laugh again, but found she couldn't - almost like someone had sealed her mouth shut. It was like a wave of sadness had suddenly crashed over her, hiding her face in her hands again as she felt a tiny droplet of water slipping out from the corner of her eye.

Elezaer's arm immediately went comfortingly to the side of her shoulder. "Hey, Cas" he affirmed concerningly "don't cry"

"I'm not" she snapped back, voice now hurt.

"Cas i can smell the salt-"

"Elezaer, I'm fine really"

"No you're not" he stared blankly, she didn't respond as she didn't need to - they both knew it to be true, there was nothing to conclude. But that didn't mean he couldn't comfort her in some way, so he just waited for her to tell him what had made her so upset.

"I'm just worried about tomorrow.." she confessed seconds later, her fingers twisting together into a massive knot in her lap. "I just don't know what to expect, even with you telling me everything.. You know with the Volturi."

"Well.." he began, pausing as his brow crinkled - almost like he didn't know how to start. "Caius will hate you and want you dead the moment you walk in." he continued, stopping at the sound of her laugh, "it's not funny Cas."

"I never said it was" she snapped back, "I just think its crazy, almost lunacy, that this is what my life has come to.. Three men who hold my life in their hands, and for what? Me being human?"

"It's not just that.." Elezaer sighed, resting back in his seat as his brow crinkled further. "You know it's more complicated than that"

"I know" she sighed, "I remember you telling me all about that breaking dawn bullshit a couple months back.."

"It's just bad timing.. You know, if that hadn't just happened this wouldn't be a big deal" he explained, "Yes, it would still be quite severe, as keeping 'the secret' is one of the biggest laws, but still the timing makes it even more so, as Aro and the others will feel the urgent need to fully assert the Volturi's authority on this _subject_..'

"So, basically I have no chance?"

"No, I never said that" he interrupted her again, "I've never lied to you Cas and never will.. Aro will need a lot of convincing to not kill you right then and there. You just need to remember to focus on him and swaying his favour, and not get distracted by anything else."

Cas nodded, but was still confused about how they came to be here. "So wait.." she began before pausing, trying to sift through her memories of everything he'd told her last night on the plane. "You sought this audience with Aro? How does that even happen?"

"Yes" he stared blankly, the mention of Aro's name appearing to awaken something deep within him. "When I discovered whispers of your existence had reached his ears, I gave him a call.."

Cas didn't interrupt him, knowing what he would say next would be crucial in her fate. "To say he was surprised by my, let's say 'involvement' with you would be an understatement, but I also know he was also very angry by it.." he sighed regretfully, before continuing at the confused twist of her brow "Which, I assume stems partly from my appearance at the Cullen stand-off a few months prior.."

She nodded; indicating that she understood and that he could continue, but she still had more questions. "So it sounds stupid.." she started, as her absent fingers began playing with the charms dangling off her bracelet. "But, what exactly do we do tomorrow.. Like do we just walk in or something?".

"Oh you're so innocent" he chuckled, only stopping when he saw the menacing look on her face. "No, not innocent, just naive to this world I guess…" She was about to interrupt him again, but then he held up a hand to stop her, signalling he was not done yet.

"You and me, tomorrow.." he began, pausing to leaning over to untangle her fingers from the knot she'd woven them into it, before continuing. "will go to the castle gates, once Aro knows we have arrived, we will make ourselves inside, and then.." he stopped, not knowing whether to be harsh or try and be comforting. Deciding against it (knowing it would irritate her) he continued. "I can't say I know exactly what'll happen within those walls, Cas, honestly I have no idea.. Aro's always known to be an enigma.".

"But." he paused, stopping as he saw the tears she was so desperately trying to hide, welling up in her glassy eyes again. "I will never leave you.." he promised.

"Elezaer.." she choked out, voice now being betrayed by her emotions. "You can't, you can't" she repeated almost like a chant. She had already messed up so many people's lives through simply existing, and she wouldn't let her beloved friend or anyone else be hurt too.

"No you listen Cas" he snapped back, for the first time his voice being strong and definitive. "I will not leave you" he affirmed again, ignoring her shallow breaths, from trying to not cry in front of him. "It is a promise I made to your mother and it is one I intend to keep" he explained, pausing to adjust the sunglasses that were concealing his abnormally, dark eyes.

"I have broken many promises in my life, but this one, this one" he repeated, "is one I intend to keep, to the end".

"And what if the end-the end" she went off, voice choked up and snuffly "means, very to the end Elezaer, you can't do that Carmen and I won't let you!" she shouted almost too loud for the bar's comfy and soft atmosphere; causing some patrons to even turn around, to look confusedly at the blonde girl.

"Carmen and me already agreed on this Cas" he explained, "she cares very deeply for you as you know."

But Cas didn't respond. After all, there was no need for anything else to be said. So, she just sat there, one of her hands coming up to hide her face from his view and the other hurriedly wiping away the forming tears threatening to spill again from her eyes.

After some time, however, she found the courage to use her voice again. "Tell me more about them" she asked of her friend, voice becoming stronger.

"What about, the volturi?" Elezaer asked, only continuing when she nodded back. "Well I know you said Caius is a lost cause, but what about his other brother, what did you say his name was again?"

"You mean Marcus? He is somewhat sympathetic towards most causes, but only somewhat… he isn't fully there Cas and you can't bargain on him either; the power he held centuries ago is no longer there"

"Why not?" she asked, mind becoming curious at the mention of this new name.

"It's not important" he shut it down quickly, slamming his now empty glass down hard on the wooden surface of the bar. "And besides.." he continued. "Aro won't be pleased at all seeing this in either of our memories, so it's best we move along"

"Ok, if you say so.." she sighed reluctantly, and that was that.

But something didn't feel right to Cas. there was this slight nudging in the pit of her stomach, it wasn't butterflies swirling down there, no, it was something more. It seemed like something held a rope that was attached to her and was pulling on it. It wasn't painful or anything like that; it just felt strange.

Looking back, she questioned why she never told Elezaer about this feeling at the time, but now it all made sense - fate had been intervening all along.

Hi everyone! Sorry this chapter took so long to put out, I had it written a few days ago, but only found the time to edit and refine it today! I hope you all don't mind me dragging out this part, but I really want to establish Cas before introducing her to the Volturi! The next chapter however, will be the meeting so stay tuned for that! I rewatched that section of New Moon yesterday to give me inspo :) Thank you so much to those who reviewed the last chapter, you guys really give me motivation to write and continue this story, so please review this chapter if you enjoyed it! and let me know what you think will happen in the next one, and what Cas' reaction will be to finally meeting Aro :) -much love to everyone 3


	3. Chapter 3 - Hello

"How do I look?"

"Beautiful Cas."

Elezaer stood next to her by the mirror, only moving, to run his hand down her soft cheek to catch a tear that had fallen there. He cupped her face afterwards, trying to impress her upon her one last time how deeply he cared for her, and how none of this was her fault.

"Remember" he affirmed, "I won't leave you, and I've got your back."

"I know." she smiled sadly, her eyes watery and voice shaky. Cas knew deep down, she had to snap out of this - whatever 'this' was. Elezaer had already impressed upon her, the need to not be too arrogant in front of the Volturi, but not weak either - Aro liked a surprise. And she needed to be that.

Rubbing her already sore and tired eyes, she leaned into his touch. "Thank you for everything.." she began, only pausing to swallow the tears threatening to escape her throat "I know I can never show you how grateful I am, but please know, without you I don't know where I'd be right now.."

He didn't reply instantly, opting to smile softly at her too, maybe it was him trying to comfort her, or maybe him trying to comfort the both of them. "It's ok" he reminded her "we all made a promise on that first day you told us the truth to protect you."

"I know" she barely whispered back, before hugging him - at least one last time. Elezaer was concerned by the scent of salt on her, but he also knew she needed this right now, to not cry and feel strong - he knew what she needed and thus gave it to her.

Cas pulled back after a while, letting her arms fall to her side and slightly grazing the soft material draping her body. Facing away from the mirror, she walked over to the bed and began smoothing out the wrinkled sheets.

"Is that dress your mothers?" Elezaer asked, to which she nodded simply to his question.

"It's beautiful as well."

"I know" she repeated back, "you'd think after all this time, it wouldn't be in such good condition, but i guess fate even surprises me sometimes.."

"She has a way of doing that.."

Then the room fell silent again. Cas had known that morning when she'd woken up this could be her last morning alive. She almost had wanted to stay in that bed all morning - to not get out and hide away from the world. But she also knew that was impossible.

Neither her or Elezaer commented on the silence - it wasn't the time for that. Cas herself believed she was simply living on borrowed time, that should have run out a long time ago.

She felt too scared to ask the question, the one that would set into motion the very thing she wanted to run away from. But she wasn't a child anymore, it was time - she knew that, deep down. There was no more running. So she just asked - almost tired from it all, especially after 5 years.

"Is it time?"

Elezaer nodded, face solemn. She became upset at how on-edge he seemed, and in any other situation would've wanted to comfort him. But she knew she couldn't, and that's what hurt the most "We should probably get going.."

He, like her, nodded back, walking towards the exit, where their suitcases were resting up against the door.

Her long lilac-purple gown flowed down each step she walked down, almost tracing her footsteps as they walked down to the lobby. She could hear Eleazer trailing the suitcases after them, which were only two small ones - they hadn't planned to stay long in Italy. She hadn't even brought a return ticket - a single seemed just fine.

Each step down felt like a century, time seemed to slow in that moment, and it was almost like death in that she began experiencing every single memory from her life at once. She could feel her kindred spirit from when she was a child, the pure feeling of joy from running through tall green grass and climbing trains to reach the heights of chirping birds.

She then felt the freedom of a teenager, dressing up in her mother's too-big clothes and staining her small lips a glossy red. But, she was an adult now, almost 20 to be exact - the time of being a child and innocence was long over. It was time to face her destiny, the one she'd been running away from for most of her teenage life.

There had been a time, a much younger one when the Volturi were a foreign concept to her, unknown. But now it was light a spotlight had been turned on in the world, one that exposed all her shining brilliance for their view, and theirs alone. She didn't know how she felt about meeting Aro, or any of it, but something was for sure; that her choice was long out of her hands, and she was dancing in fate's hands.

Cas allowed herself to scroll through her phone one last time whilst Elezaer checked themselves out of the fancy 5-star hotel they'd found themselves in. She typed one last 'I love you' message to her mom whilst she heard him speaking to the receptionist in italian.

"Buona giornata! (have a good day!)" she called after them as they exited the hotel, Cas shivering slightly at the warm mid-morning air that was beginning to chip on her exposed arms. Elezaer took the lead towards the hotel's parking garage downstairs and Cas simply trailed behind him like a child. She heard her phone vibrate multiple times, and being too scared to see what was on it, she simply turned it off and placed it in the backpack swinging off her left shoulder.

She knew it was cowardly, and probably even selfish, but in that moment she was too scared to care. Her heart was racing a million miles an hour, and her mind was a million miles away.

But as they were walking, all of a sudden Elezaer stopped.

She saw him stiffen up, almost like he had been shot. Cas paused walking then too, her heart began to thump like a drum. She wanted to ask him what was so wrong that it had caused the horrified look on his face.

But then she saw it too, and she felt her whole body stiffen in response.

Yesterday the entire parking garage had been full - the both of them even struggling to find a space. But now it was completely empty - except for their red rental car that shone out amongst the bright lights like a danger sign. It made Cas want to run, far far away, and she had to stand and resist the feeling, as her stomach lurched like a boat at sea.

"Elezaer, it's so good to see you again.." a mysterious and deep voice began, as Cas saw Elezaer walk protectively back a few steps to cover her with his body.

"Except, why must we always meet under such grave circumstances my old friend?" it continued, drawing out each syllable in a way that made Cas' blood run cold.

Elezaer only said two words in response, but those words were the only indication Cas needed. They caused her to gasp, as a cold shiver to run down her spine.

It was only in that moment, she truly came to realise how badly she had fucked up, and the mess she'd dragged her beloved friend into.

"Hello Aro."

Ahhhhh! a cliffhanger. i hope you all don't kill me for that ending haha, I actually have the rest of the 'meeting' written out but i felt it hit better when broken up. im sorry for probably driving you all crazy and poor cas :( im trying to be better with updating, even with school, so i hope u all like this chapter! pls review if u did and thank you so much for the 2 reviews on the last chapter! im so glad youre interested in the story and cas as a character - i just hope i can all make u proud when writing it! i promise cas will meet Marcus soon, i just didnt want to take away from her meeting with aro, as he will play quite an important role in this story. im not going to follow the original books and my presentation of the volturi will be quite different.. although i do appreciate micheal sheen. love u all and pls review if u enjoyed this chapter! also comment what u think will happen to elezaer and cas, and how she will react to first meeting aro! x


	4. Chapter 4 - Good News

Cas almost couldn't believe her eyes; after so many years of hearing about the Volturi leaders, she was finally standing in front of one.

Aro Volturi was a tall man, the kind of man that eluded confidence and power from the moment he walked into a room. Dressed sleekly in a black-carbon suit, that seemingly appeared to be perfectly moulded to his form, his shiny coal hair was pulled back into a neat ponytail. However, the huge gold necklace that hung from his neck was what really caught her attention. It came to lie in the centre of his chest - right where his tie and collar met, the blood-red ruby in the middle glittered under the lights of the parking garage, and she found herself tracing the white embossed 'V' with her eyes.

Cas had always known he was a man of great power, and she also knew in that moment that should've scared her, but if anything - it only entranced her more.

He stood, hands clasped together like an excited child on christmas, and she felt her stomach turn at the thought that perhaps _she_ was his present. However, he wasn't alone, no. dozens of other guards, too dressed in black cloaks and garments stood around him in a perfect formation - all with piercing, red eyes.

Her and Elezaer were outnumbered, that much was clear.

So, when his scarlet eyes finally met hers, she didn't feel afraid. No, she didn't know exactly what she felt at that moment.. didn't know how to place the strange emotion that she was feeling, but that didn't take away from how she still felt it. The odd feeling of something strange stirring deep inside her. She almost wondered if it was the way Aro looked at her, and why it weirdly made her feel so right in a way - like their meeting had been written in the stars, _destiny._

"Hello Aro." she called out to him, repeating Elezaer's words. She didn't see the disturbed look on his face, from where she was hidden behind him, no. But, what she did see was Aro's face light up in acknowledgment of her words - it only entranced her more, _how weird. _

Stepping out from Elezaer's wing of protection towards Aro, she didn't hear her heels clicking on the concrete floor, her eyes were only focussed on his - that too watched her back, fascinated like a tourist watching a majestic white lion in a gilded cage.

"Ah!" he called out to her, his voice so soft she could almost hear it melt with each syllable. "You must be Cassandra, I assume?"

"Yes." she responded back, flashing him a dazzling smile. She remembered what Alice had told her - they were both playing a game of chess, and she was playing to win, the prize of course - _her life_. "It's so unfortunate it's taken us so long to meet, but when Elezaer told me the occasion had arrived I couldn't resist."

He laughed back at her, although she wasn't sure if any of it was genuine. He seemed to be a master of pretending, something she herself thought she was very good at, _but now wasn't so sure_. "How are you finding my beloved Italy as of yet?" he asked, voice as silky and almost seductive. She almost snorted at the pleasantries they were exchanging - considering she had expected to be dead already.

"Oh it's beautiful!" she replied back, almost surprised herself at how confident and clear her voice sounded, she even felt herself standing up a little straighter too - hands no longer hidden behind her back, but now balled at her sides.

"Aro" Elezaer cut in, extending his wrist out to bring Cas under his arm again, like a mother hen protecting her young from a wolf. "I didn't realise you would be meeting us here, old friend - it has been so long."

Cas tried to hide the smile from hearing what she called 'Elezaer's fake voice' - it was for fake moments like this, and she could tell this moment was intense and she needed to play her cards right. But funnily enough, Aro's piercing gaze didn't sway from looking at her, even though Cas had averted her eyes. But as much as she was fascinated by him, strangely there was something about it that felt intrusive - almost felt like he was looking into her soul and could see all her secrets.. All the bad things and sins she'd comitted.

"So it has Eleazer.." he drawled back, lips twitching into a slight smile, almost like he was a cat playing with his prey. "I remember the last time I saw you.." he began slyly, "how is Carlisle, might I ask?"

"He's doing fine" Elezaer instantly cut back, "although, I haven't heard from him for a few months, so I would prefer not to speak on his behalf?"

"Of course" Aro replied, his voice almost sickeningly sweet that Cas could almost feel his breathe and each word on her skin. "You two have always been quite close.."

She wasn't sure why but she detected some resentment under his over-jovial mask, he was nothing like what she had expected or been told. Carlisle of course had warned her of his over-dramatic and seemingly child-like nature, but in person… it was really something else. But why did she feel oddly connected to it?

"Now Eleazer.." he began, and she saw his muscles stiffen and a look of worry flash across her friend's face. "I would love to stay and catch up with you old friends.. But it's really Cassandra I am interested in speaking to"

"Anything you say to her, you can say to me."

"Eleazer-" she interjected, her heart speeding up in worry from the looks of Aro and his guards, their stance stiffened, and by their expressions Cas could almost tell things were about to turn messy.

"No Cas." he snapped back, moving back his hand to roll up his sleeves and growl slightly.

"Now, now Eleazer, there is no need for that - I'm confident the lady can speak for herself."

"There was no need to show up to Carlisle's land with an entire army, but that still happened."

Cas couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her throat and she appeared to not be alone, even seeing some of the stoneless Volturi guard appear shocked Elezaer had made such a statement. Her eyes flashed to Aro, expecting him to be furious, but instead he smiled, but not childish like before - it was darker now, taunting even.

She began backing up subconsciously, as much as Elezaer's iron grip around her would permit. She knew the facade was gone now, their whole plan - destroyed, and she was surprised at how much that scared her - the uncertainty of it all.

"Such bold words my dear friend..' he almost purred, eyes squinting at him like a snake. "But such words from a man who keeps appearing on the wrong side of the law and always with the wrong type of people."

"Cas is different from Bella" Elezaer snapped back, his tone definitive and left Cas feeling even more confused at his random statement - she had never compared the two, _so why now? _

"Oh, that I can see."

"Then surely you see the potential?"

"Wait, you mean to tell me that she is-"

"Yes" Elezaer affirmed - Aro's eyes lighting up, Cas only releasing in that moment what they were talking about. "You mean I'm gifted?" she whispered to him, from where she was perched on his shoulder. It was something she had never thought about, something she had once even asked him and something he'd refused to answer.

"Well, this changes things.." Aro sighed, "still she cannot remain human, Caius will not allow it."

"She's only nineteen Aro, and you promised.." he began, Cas almost flinching in how his voice had developed into a deep snarl "that if I brought her here you would be understanding and there would be no violence?"

"And, there needs to be no violence Eleazer" Aro smiled as he looked back at him with a look of pure disgust and monster. "But the girl comes - we are not done with her or you yet"

"You bastard.." Elezaer snarled, "Alice was right, it doesn't matter what we tell you, you still won't change your mind…" with that, something seemed to snap within Aro and everyone sensed it. Long gone was the smiley exterior, that was stripped down to a face of ice cold. He seemed angry, very angry and Cas didn't like it one bit. She felt herself unconsciously leaning into Eleazer, scared to see him get hurt but she didn't want to either.

"Let us discuss this properly." Aro said blankly, but his statement held an edge of danger, almost like he was giving Elezaer his last warning.

"Discuss?" Elezaer almost snorted back, "there is nothing to discuss here, we both know that Aro - please don't treat me like a fool who haven't known you for over a thousand years.."

"Such as shame it had to come to this Elezaer, but if you stand in the way of justice then you leave me no choice.." he sighed sadly, looking towards the huge man standing next to him. Even next to Aro's staggering height, he was a giant - huge muscles stood out from his black dress shirt and his lips twitched into a sadistic smile that showed his glittering, sharp teeth.

Elezaer just snarled "I've beaten Felix before and I can do it again"

"We shall see."

Cas almost didn't even see Elezaer dash forward at vampire speed, but the huge earth-shattering bang that erupted from them colliding almost knocked her on her feet. She staggered back but regained her balance, as she saw Elezaer throw a punch and knock the other to the floor.

Her human eyes caught glimpses of the two, she couldn't see much but from the looks of it Elezaer was winning. He threw a massive punch that sent Felix knocking into one of the tall concrete beams holding up the ceiling of the parking garage. Dust fell from the ceiling and Eleazer had his fingers wrapped around Felix's neck - digging into the marble flesh there, making cracking sounds as he began to tear his head from his shoulders.

She saw Aro's face twitch almost like he was conflicted, before looking towards a short blonde girl standing to his other side. Her face was beautiful, angelic even, like from a Botletti paintings Cas had studied in art school. Her eyes though were blood red like the others and her lips twitched into smile before almost whispering one word so silently Cas almost didn't hear it

"Pain."

She almost screamed when she saw Eleazer fall to the floor, Felix standing up and rubbing his neck and the scarred flesh there. He walked towards Aro, who looked at him blankly but she knew it was a look of disapproval - he had failed. Elezaer began thrashing on the floor, mouth sealed shut but she knew he was in pain. But there was a smile there, he had won in one way after all - he had kept his promise, _finally._

"Stop!" she shouted, but it didn't come out emotional or hysterical, but instead like an order. Aro's eyes glinted at hers as the other guards looked elsewhere, he smiled at her before holding up his hand again for the girl to stop torturing Eleazer. When he stopped, he tried to get up before Aro motioned for Felix who dashed over and held him down. His shock from the pain held him in place and Cas' face crumpled up.

"What do you want?" she snapped at him, not caring in the world if he killed her right then and there, when he ignored her and smiled towards felix who then wrapped his fingers around her friends neck she screamed again, "I said, if it's me that you want then stop."

"My oh my.." he hummed in glee at her words, holding up a hand for Felix to stop. "Aren't you a firecracker?" almost appearing confused at how she walked past him to where Elezaer was on the floor.

"Are you ok?" she asked concerned, holding out her hand to help pull him up - still frowning at the hidden meaning in Aro's words. He nodded as he stood up, dusting his clothes off with his free hand and turning around to face Aro again.

"Now Eleazer.." he began, pausing only for a second before continuing, like he wanted to make sure he had the attention of the whole room. "You've provided me some entertainment.. Let me see you fight for the first time since you left my guard, but now.. We must get down to business."

"_Business?"_ Cas felt herself inwardly asking, but Elezaer stiffened up again, knowing immediately what it meant.

"And since you won't cooperate by my usual methods.." he continued, voice now seductive and silky, "I must make use of my, let's say less conventional ones.."

Elezaer then grabbed her hand, almost like he knew he couldn't do anything else but surrender to whatever coming. Cas almost didn't catch it, her human eyes having a delayed reaction, but she felt very cold all of a sudden, and looked down to her feet, where her skirt was rippling around the floor like she was standing under a fan. Instead, a thick, blank, slinky mist swirled wrapped itself around her ankles, but she almost cried out in horror when she saw it had engulfed Eleazer fully. He stood completely still like a statue, his face motionless and frozen in time - like someone had pressed pause on a movie.

"Fascinating isn't it?"

It took her a moment to realise Aro, Aro Volturi was addressing her.

"Fascinating wouldn't be the word I would use personally.,." she cut back, voice now gone of the previously polite mask - they understood each other now, and she wasn't sure if it was better or worse this way.

"I'm still trying to figure you out"

She held herself from saying back 'you too'. What now? It was almost like he'd read her mind, taking two steps forward towards her with an outstretched hand. "Remove him from whatever that is.." she spoke slowly, eyes flickering to where Elezaer was frozen in time, he raised an eyebrow at her - probably surprised at the human girl giving him orders.

"And if I do.." he suggested, eyes pondering the idea to, "what will you do? Give me?"

"I have nothing to give," she stated, "only me, but that's what you wanted in the first place isn't it?"

It was silent for a moment then, Aro said nothing almost as if he was thinking over her proposal, before he spoke. "Are the whispers I heard about you true?"

"It depends" Cas replied, not knowing exactly what rumors he was speaking of, although she had her ideas. "Maybe, maybe not.."

"Demetri" he said, causing one of the towering men besides him to turn his head "yes, Master?"

"Please escort Mr Denali in a separate vehicle.." the ordered, paying for a moment to look at her - eyes flaring up. "I will be travelling with Cassandra alone."

He held out his arm then, not like before when he had been ordering around his guard, no, this time it was different. "Would you do me the honour?"

Cas didn't reply, at least not verbally, and as she walked over to him she blocked out Elezaer's shouts of curses and calling her name. His eyes entranced her, almost like she was finally coming home after a long day - but something beneath that scared her, and awoke a dark part of her that hadn't been conscious for a long time. She wasn't sure what kind of power he must have to put her in a trance like this, but it felt right. And for the first time in her life, as Cas climbed into a sleek, black car next to him, she felt like she was in control of her own destiny and choice.

Yes, her heart was beating a million miles an hour, and yes she was afraid, but a part of her was relieved - that, after five years of running it was over. And, after all that running she could finally face her fate - relief washed over her. So much so, she ignored the tugging feeling in her chest and the yearning for an unknown touch.. an arm to hold her close.

And as the parking garage became a blur in the windows, she felt herself falling asleep - deeper and deeper in the darkness until it just became one big black blob. That's when she heard it - her heart almost speaking to her.

"_Welcome home." _

hi guys! im so sorry this chapter took so long to put out, i honestly kept removing/changing stuff as i wanted aro's first introduction to be perfect and i hope i did it justice! i wanted a mix of his movie portrayal and my own twist, and cas is evolving as a character too, but poor el :( the next chapter will inclujde her first meeting with marcus hehe and then hopefully we can get started into the main plot! please let me know if u enjoyed this chapter by reviewing or predicting what will happen next! thank u sm to everyone who's reviewed so far - its really motivating and i read every single one of them! the next chapter will be out soon, but pls review if u enjoyed this one! -much love


	5. Chapter 5 - The Unspeakable Crime

Cas was sure her eyes had reached the size of saucers by the time the sleek, black car they were riding in began pulling up to the Volturi castle. She'd seen it earlier, the towering turrets of shimmering stone that seemed almost too beautiful and grand to be true. It had a gothic feel, but one that definitely reminded her of the Renaissance. Classic elegance.

"How do you find my home?"

"It's beautiful."

"I thought you'd think so," Aro chuckled, leaning back into the plush leather upholstery they were sat on. "it must be a great change from the cold climate you're used too back in Canada…"

She simply hummed back. Trying to almost disguise her shock at him knowing where she lived. But, he was a Volturi king after all, and some described as the most powerful man in the world. Knowing her exact location was probably a simple matter for someone like him.

Cas couldn't help but press up close to the glass as they pulled into another large parking garage; passing under a great iron gate. It towered way above the car's wall frame, arching and wrapping around the surrounding fortress menacingly. The actual castle itself was made up of several, smaller turrets and then a larger structure in the centre. She had never seen pictures, only heard whispers of the three kings who sat upon the gold, glimmering thrones inside.

"Is that the throne room?" She asked, pointing towards a peak that blossomed into a glass, dome. Not realising she'd spoken the words, she startled at hearing Aro laugh gleefully next to her, "You're an observant one, my dear"

"Elezaer told me about it…" she sighed, "I always wondered if it was just as beautiful as he described."

"Sometimes things that appear beautiful on the outside are more deadly inside than they appear."

"Sounds dangerous."

"Dangerous? My dear, there are greater things in this life to be afraid of."

"Such as?" She teased, beginning to nip the soft, plump flesh of her lower lip.

"You are aware of what you are accused of, yes?"

"Treason."

**AN: omg! im so sorry i havent posted here in forever, my attention has been on submit but people really seemed to enjoy this story so i wrote a little something something! sorry the update is so short, im really stuck on motivation these days and writing is hard for me to do. Hope you enjoyed this little segement tho and i havent abandoned this story! pls review if u want to see more! stay safe x**


	6. Chapter 6 - Into Motion

"It's time."

"Is my presence truly required?"

"Unfortunately, brother" Caius conceded with a sigh, leaning into the wooden door frame he was currently perched against. His black Volturi cloak swirled across the floor; creating a menacing silhouette of mist that threatened to swallow all inside.

"Caius," he began with a sigh, pausing for a second in order to not take out his anger out on his brother of all people. "I respect my position, I know some things must be sacrificed, but of all things, you and Aro request this of me? Force me?"

"Honestly, I agree with you" Caius sighed, running a finger through his snowy blonde locks. "but we need you, we can't have 2 votes…"

"Put Athena or Sulpicia in my place, I don't care."

"Marcus," he sighed again, flashing over to place a comforting hand on his brother's weary shoulder "I know this is hard for you, harder than anything any of us will ever endure… but, some things we just have to do… this is one of them."

His brow scrunched further, followed by his hand clenching down harder on the wooden frame of the window. Caius hesitated, "I'll leave you for a moment… alone with your thoughts."

And with one last comforting squeeze, he was gone. Marcus knew he wouldn't have gone far, and there were always 2 guards stationed outside his door, waiting, and listening so he couldn't make a mistake he could never take back.

It had been almost a week since Aro had told him… since he had broken the news. Him and his fairer brother had ventured out to Russia a few further weeks back; investigating claims of another newborn army that had to put to rest. There, they had stumbled upon _something_ unexpected and so out of the blue. _Something_ so horrible.

They'd even contemplated not telling him, not out of spite or secrecy, but purely for his own sanity. But, the guilt had began eating them both up every time they saw his haunted face. Perhaps, they'd thought this could finally bring him closure. After all these years…

Of course, when Athena had told Marcus, he'd flown into a blind rage. Smashing each and every thing in sight, not caring for his family's frantic pleas or concern. None of that mattered in the moment. _Nothing did._

But now, reality was calling. Elezaer had brought her here himself. He thought about ripping their old guard's head from his body and sending it back to his wife, to see her scream in pain the same way he'd done all those years ago. _The shame of it all…_ after all this mysterious women had done and caused. She still had the balls to walk in here like none of that mattered. _But it did. _

His brothers had only agreed on giving her an audience on one condition; they'd see what she knew and then Marcus could have her. He'd spent the last days imagining how he'd kill her, perhaps quickly? Gently squeezing the air out of her delicate neck until she collapsed into nothing. Or perhaps quick? The idea of slitting her throat and letting the red blood coat the marble floor wasn't past him either.

Marcus hadn't thought this intensely in several years, but now… _now_, things had changed. For worse or better he wasn't sure. But now he had purpose. _A meaning._ He'd finally avenge _her_ after.

A sharp knock on the door brought him back to reality. He could tell it was Caius simply from the scent alongside how attuned he'd become to his brother's presence over time. But, these small formalities of his still helped. _It was always the little things. _

"Marcus," he called, knowing the other wouldn't respond. He'd known him long enough.

"It's time." he spoke, repeating those same _damn_ words again.

And so things were put into motion. Dragging his own black cloak over his shoulders, Marcus opened the door, sending both brothers down the long corridor to the throne room - not knowing how today would change all their lives _forever._

**AN: hi guys! i tried to post this chapter as quick as possible! im sorry i keep dragging it out lol i love just creating mystery, although i did add a few hints in this chapter. however, next chapter, marcus and our lovely oc will finally meet, and wow it will really be ****fiery! im going for a more controversial approach with this one, no they won't fall in love at first sight, and yes there will be a lot of anger and emotions involved, but there will eventually be a happily ever after! please review if you enjoyed, and thank u for everyone who's favourited or followed so far! appreciate u all :)**


	7. Chapter 7 - The Final Puzzle Piece

"Just follow me, my dear."

Aro's soft words urged her on further down the corridor. Sure, only seconds ago he had confirmed Cas was accused of a serious law against vampire crime - being human and knowing of vampire's existence. But unknowingly "treason" to her, meant something different to him.

At that moment they didn't realise how deeply they'd been misled. How far they'd all been led astray.

To her, Aro seemed mysterious; a picturesque outside appearance of a simple innocent man wanting to help. But, beneath his facade, there was something darker, almost scary. Perhaps it was her paranoia, prompted by Eleazar strict words of warning to convince Aro but also not trust him. Aro's duality was enough to make a sane man's head spin, but she was sure that was part of his act. Convincing.

Being even close to Aro Volturi felt like dancing with a knife.. constantly skirting across a sharp edge that was bound to prick you eventually. And it did.

She found herself falling slower behind him, so much so he overtook her, passing a glance back to see her standing still. "Where is Eleazar?"

"You shouldn't concern yourself with him, at the moment."

"Perhaps, but that's not what I asked."

"Cassandra-"

"Where is he?" She repeated, her heart whether she liked it or not beginning to thump again. "What did you do with him?"

He sighed, clasping his hands together, almost like he was disappointed in her. "If you insist, my dear."

He didn't elaborate further, instead opting to turn down a different hallway that led into a narrower one that was so much darker in light. Cas could almost feel the flecks of dust surrounding her, slowly blocking up her airway, that it felt claustrophobic to breathe.

"What is this place?"

"Somewhere a mortal such as you should never be."

Eventually, they came to stand outside a large oak door, sealed by a gold glimmering "V" in the centre. Perhaps if it'd been any other setting Cas would've seen it as beautiful, but here it was a warning, an omen of the demons that inhabited its very walls. Aro unusually didn't speak, simply gesturing towards it and facing away, ignoring her confused facial expression.

Cas however, wasted no time. Marching past the king, and throwing the door open. She sighed, it was heavy, certainly heavier than her and then some. Changing strategy, and pushed her entire body's force onto it, crashing inside, she had to stop herself from screaming out at seeing what lay inside.

"Eleazar?" She cried, coming to run to where her beloved friend lay collapsed on a mattress. Carmen lay perched beside him, eyes mirroring her with deep fear. "Carmen?"

"Cas" she whispered, turning to face her with a grave facial expression. "you shouldn't have come here…" she sighed, clasping her porcelain face within her hands, so tightly she felt like she would shatter into a million pieces.

"What you mean? She questioned, a thousand thoughts racing through her mind "It's not safe…" Eleazar breathed out, each word breathy and hoarse like his throat had been ripped out "it's a trap, Aro promised me this was about you being human but it's not Cas, you need to leave!"

"What?"

"Listen" Carmen repeated, clasping her hands now tightly and keeping her from fading from the present "they're trying to pin something so horrific from the past on you, you can't stay here or let him near you…"

"I believe that's enough of that…"

The voice was so cold, it cut through the tension in the room like a sharp knife. She almost didn't want to turn around; everything had suddenly become so confusing, so wild. But, she did. Brown eyes again met red, but this stare was darker, more menacing. It wasn't Aro…no, instead, icy blonde locks adorned this man, alongside a red embossed scarf that wrapped loosely around his neck to tie in the centre. It was so white, it almost matched Cas', but she could tell there was something darker about him… something inhumane, down-right evil.

"What did you do to him?" She hissed fiercely, stepping up to march to face him, ignoring Carmen's desperate pleas to stay back, she got closer, so that their feet almost touched.

"Who are you to speak to me like that?" He questioned angrily, before scanning her over with his menacingly dark eyes "and, a pathetic human at that…."

"I came here I did what you wanted" she yelled back, pointing a finger into his icy chest "what is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with me? Oh my…"

"Brother," Aro's mysterious voice interrupted his gentle voice echoing down the long hallway where he currently stood. "I believe we are ready for Cassandra's audience now, are we not?"

Immediately, any anger harbored towards this mysterious other "brother" was now projected onto Aro, not caring he was a king, she faced him with a fiery gaze that her tongue matched. "If you didn't summon me here because I'm human, then what is it?"

All hesitations were released. Facades were dropped. The truth now lay set out in the darkness of the room. But, not as a symbol of light.

"All will be revealed in the throne room, now come."

"No!" She screamed, pulling back from the arm attempting to grab her shoulder "you tell me what's going on, or I'm not going anywhere with you!"

"Don't you dare touch her, Aro!" Eleazar roared, but was to weak to even stand.

"How naive and stupid you must be…" Caius chuckled darkly "to believe you are in power here… did you not realise how easily you walked into the lion's den?"

"What do you really want from me, you coward?"

"Cassandra, you may receive the answers you seek if only you followed me…"

"I'm done with your stupid fucking games and riddles, just tell me what you want!"

A stronger, cold arm grabbed her, then another. Cas fell into their grasp, not having the chance to cry out in pain at the bruises blossoming along her pale skin. She struggled upon hearing a laugh, but it was pointless. She was trapped. "Cas remember!" Eleazar yelled, "remember what I told you!"

They led her down back the hallway, passing the same paintings she'd only seconds ago admired. Cas shuddered at hearing a loud bang from the door slam shut behind her; cutting off her only source of hope and support - Eleazar and Carmen.

Perhaps that was the first omen… a sign of the darkness that she'd now become encased in. Any hope of light was now sliced off. _Gone. _

Eventually, they reached a grand room and Cas' heart sank at realising it was. Carlisle had described it to her so many times, and turning her head she saw the three thrones. It only meant one thing, hinted at by the mantra inscribed along the floor: 'No-one is above the law.'

A great towering, glass dome stretched out across the sky, whilst the marble walls lay painted with numerous works of art, some in styles she thought she'd recognised, all dressed in deep reds and blues. It was all so beautiful, so grand… the atmosphere however, was anything but.

The arms released her, leading her to drop into the floor. There she collapsed into the centre, falling onto her knees, and her hair fell onto her face from the impact. Allowing herself to take it in for a moment, she wondered, how many people had been in her position… how many had died here, in this very room.

Although physically, she'd been reduced to a crumbling wreck, her fiery spirit still burned strong.

"Are you going to tell me why I'm here now, Aro?"

"Cassandra…" Aro began, pulling his hands together as Caius sat in his throne, mirroring another man she hadn't see before. His gaze was dark, angry, and he was looking right at her like he wanted her blood.

"You are accused of the highest Volturi crime - treason."

"Yes, I know" she laughed, "I'm human, is this the issue you sought to correct?"

"Silly girl." the blonde laughed, leaning forward, almost as if he were about to watch the beginning of a great show.

"Although your status of a human who knows of our existence is a great crime, it doesn't fall into treason as you were led to believe."

Cas' thoughts began muddling into one; becoming a muddy picture of fear and complete shock. "Then what exactly are you accusing me of?" She asked cautiously; wanting Elezaer at her side to explain what the hell was going on.

"The murder of my sister and Marcus' wife, Didyme Volturi."

**AN: Did any of you see that coming?**

**i know earlier i recieved a comment predicting this so shout out to you for figuring it out! wow cas is now accused of murdering didyme... but she's human, so how does that work? leave your predictions for me!**

**And please dont forget to comment, it really motivates me, thank you! :)**


	8. Chapter 8 - Trapped

Cas' eyes held a blank but disbelieved stare at the accusation. "Are you insane?"

It was sort of like an out of body experience; your physical body was there, but your mind? _A million miles away…_ Honestly, she was at a complete loss at what to say; stunned into silence. However, the lingering wish for Eleazar to be here helped finally bring her voice back. To ignite that fire again.

"Aro," she began, giving him a menacingly, dark stare before continuing "Not only do you have the balls to accuse me of murder, but then you also mislead me and Eleazar to lure us here! Tell me, have you genuinely lost your mind?"

"Oh, you stupid girl," Caius interjected with a laugh; staring deep into her brown eyes with pure hate "you treat this accusation like a game; we already have our evidence and therefore don't require any cooperation from you."

"Perhaps you should treat this more seriously, Cassandra" Aro remarked to her, at noticing her raised brow "if found guilty of treason, you risk execution or exile at best. I would consider your next words carefully."

It was like the air had been kicked out of Cas; her legs felt shaky as she had to hold herself up to stop herself from falling to the marble floor below. "Evidence?" she echoed, in an attempt to try and make sense of this reality… the words however, felt strange on her tongue, _wrong._ Almost as if this horrible crime she was accused of belonged to someone else. _It had to be…_ she could never do something like that; take away someone's life and happiness.

Although, a part of Cas wanted to give up, another still burned strong. She had always been a fighter, and a strong one at that. Many had tried to break her, tear her down… and the Volturi wouldn't be the ones who put her fire out; that final nail in the coffin. _No._ She was stronger than that, stronger than all of them.

And, so she kept fighting. Feeling her inner fire and its urges kept her going, pushing her to not give up. _So she fought. _

"You speak of this 'so-called evidence' but I have yet to see any of it."

"That will come in time at the trial-"

"Perhaps you have nothing then" she suggested, ignoring Caius' growl "is that why you have led me here on this wild goose chase? To dig for something you don't have?"

"We know what we saw in Russia."

"A place I haven't visited in years? What's next? Was I supposedly best-friends with your dead sister too?"

"You will watch your tongue when you speak of my wife." the other brother hissed, who she now assumed was the mysterious 'Marcus.' His stern words were laced with venom, each syllable sending a jolt through Cas' body, that alongside his murderous glare made her blood run as cold as ice.

His eyes held misery, so deep that she felt like she was falling through it; down those icy, dark depths until she hit nothing. That was the emptiness he was feeling, living. And she knew her presence here had triggered a light in him; one that glowed with the red burn of felt like she was being bathed in it. That red light, could feel it gliding down her skin, turning it hot and damp.

His aura was wondrous, and she knew underneath it all there lay a powerful man. One that could move the earth and everything in it, with one movement of his long fingertips.

Although, his threat to Cas wasn't surprising, everyone else however appeared startled or even shocked at their master's outburst. Cas hadn't known in that moment the power she truly held over him, her energy was his driving force. His being.

Aro glanced across some of the elite guard's mouths slacked open, eyes as wide as saucers. And he couldn't blame them. Marcus hadn't taken an active approach in trials or audiences in centuries. Even the guards who'd known him before had slowly began to believe the third king had not only genuinely lost his mind but also his spark.

Aro questioned if he should feel nervous, afraid that a simple human girl with a fiery tongue had awakened something dark but alive in his brother. _Was Cas a threat to have sparked a light in his brother… that a dead shell of man?_

Cas' brow furrowed at seeing Aro drift over to Marcus; placing a comforting hand on his shoulder that signified to her the glimmering, close soul-bound each three brothers shared. She felt those familiar stirrings of guilt in her stomach, prompting an apology.

"Please, Marcus, I really meant no disrespect towards you or your wife."

He said nothing. Only his murderous glare intensified.

Cas unconsciously shrugged her shoulders in surrender "But, you have to understand I really had no part in what happened to her all those years ago, before today I didn't even know she existed!"

"Liar!" Marcus yelled, leaping from his throne and with no-one to stand in his way, he squeezed his hands around Cas' delicate throat. She gasped for air, struggling in the air like a fish out of water wiggling to get back into the ocean, back to the air.

Marcus didn't flinch as she began scratching at his fingers with her own sharp, red nails, or when her gasps began more frantic, her legs feebly dangling from where he held her in the air.

A cry interrupted them "Marcus, stop!"

"You don't want to do this, it won't bring her back!"

"Brother please see reason, I know you can hear us!"

But to Cas, all these mumbled voices eventually fell into a chorus, a weak one that encompassed a sickly sweet symphony of chaos and regret, fear. And as her oxygen faded, she couldn't find it within herself to care.

Sweet death. Finally.

Cas hadn't known it then, but Aro had told her later he'd been worried he could kill her. After all, her focus in that moment had always been Marcus Volturi's alluring red eyes, that were filled with the vibrant crimson colour of red hate, anger, rage.

But it was also there she found a kind of softness.

Beneath it all simply lay a man who wanted revenge, a man who'd been suffering for so long. So much like herself… Cas too covered herself in things she wasn't; cold, rude, heartless.. but beneath that too lay someone who just wanted love. Validation.

She felt it, but wouldn't know what it meant until later. Fate had brought them together. It was sick, toxic, even borderline abusive, but beneath it all it felt right. They'd have time to forgive each other, after all, amend wrongs, forgive, live again.

That was how it was written in the cards. So long ago, her purpose had been decided as a young child; a puppet in someone else's hand, in someone else's game.

It was time to show her hand.

Even looking back, what exactly happened was unclear to Cas, but she knew at some point she'd hit the hard, marble floor with a thud. Rolling onto her side, she scurried back along it in an auto-pilot reflex to defend herself. Grasping at her neck that was beginning to blossom with purlple bruises she gasped hoarsely for air.

"You've gone mad." she whispered to Marcus, through her scratchy throat.

"Felix" Aro sighed as Caius held back a furious Marcus with another guard "please escort Cassandra… to my chambers"

"As you wish, Master."

"No!" Cas screamed, again fighting the arms beginning to grab her "you can't do this! I didn't do anything wrong, he attacked me!"

"Take her away. We will continue this at a later time."

She kept fighting, grabbing, kicking, clawing.

"Crazy bitch." Felix muttered, attempting to grab her arm but hitting her very hardly on the head.

Then it all went black.

Cas wasn't sure how time had passed by the time she found herself beginning to stir. Her whole body hurt, ached with pain. She stretched out her legs; almost crying out at the tension in her muscles._ It felt like she'd been ran over by a train, a thousand times. _

She tried to open her eyes, instantly shutting them at the burst of light that burned them. She rolled over, trying to make out the faint whispers coming from the other side of the room. Hushed like the secrets these walls held.

"What evidence do they even have against her? She's human for Christs sake!"

"Believe me…" another sighed, "I thought Aro and Marcus had finally lost their minds when I discovered their true intentions in ordering her here."

"Well, what now? We can't exactly make a break for it."

"I will contact others, perhaps Carlisle and his family could help?"

"But" the deeper voice continued, growing graver "it all seems so pointless."

"Pointless how, Eleazar? Currently Cas is accused of murdering Marcus' wife, we have to at least do something!"

"You misunderstand, my love." he explained, "Aro told me when she blacked out he read her mind."

"Surely that should exonerate Cas, she's got nothing to hide."

"It was all blank, Carmen."

"Blank?"

"Like a dark cloud or something was covering her memories and thoughts. All Aro said he could make out was some small shapes, but everything else was hidden. Well, apart from one thing."

"Oh god, he didn't see-"

"Yes."

"He saw the Romanians in her memories, didn't he? From her time before?"

A regretful nod. And then a sob. "Carm, it's all going to be ok."

"How can you say that?" Carmen cried back "you know the vendetta the Volturi hold against the Romanians, and now that Cas is connected to them with the rest of her thoughts hidden… Eleazar they'll execute her!"

"I know."

"Then what are we going to do?" Carmen mumbled weakly, repeating the same question over and over again in attempt to make sense of the madness they'd been dragged into. At some point it became shushed, Cas assuming Eleazar must have comfortingly pulled his delicate mate within his arms.

"Carm, this isn't over." Her friend promised, but as Cas felt her own tears beginning to stain her cheeks, she felt hopeless. This seemed to be it - the end of the road.

With no way out.

**AN: Did anyone else tear up at the end, or just me?**

**But seriously, thank you so much for all the love you've all given this story recently! waking up and seeing your comments made me smile and motivated me to get this chapter up. I tried to make it much longer than the previous ones and jam packed with action so i hope you enjoyed! we're finally getting somewhere with the story now, but the Romanian twist? how is all connected? **

**Leave your predictions for me! Next chapter coming soon :)**

**Also to, eeeeaud, thank you so much for reviewing last chapter! I'm glad you finally caught up and wow it was a lot so thank you! Your comment honestly made my day since im so unsure writing sometimes with aro and caius, and worry sometimes it comes off as cringey, so im glad you like it! that was my goal, i know others potray him as gleeful but i really wanted to tap into his darker side :) hope you enjoyed this chapter, lemme know what you think!**


	9. Chapter 9 - A Betrayal Between Brothers

**Chapter 9 - A Betrayal Between Brothers **

"How can you just stand there, Aro?"

"Marcus…" his brother began, pausing for a second to consider his words. "I feel your pain too, Didyme was my sister just as she was your wife."

"You feel my pain?" Marcus echoed, clenching his fingers tighter together; his frustration growing greater at each of Aro's lies. "You took 'that girl' in your own personal car, gave her a tour of the castle and treated her as an honoured guest..."

"Honoured guest? Brother, please listen to yourself; see reason!"

"See reason? Do not speak such lies, Aro! Especially when you treat Didyme's murderer like a saint!"

"Marcus, I would be careful in insinuating something you may regret." Aro hissed, now flush against him, their brows bent together in anger, "you may be my brother, but she will always be my sister by blood."

"Alas, what did you expect me to do instead? As usual you ignore my vital role in luring her here, which I would like to point out was my own doing!"

"You and Caius wouldn't let me help!" Marcus argured, with a menacing glare "you claimed it was for my own good!"

Aro simply laughed, "Brother, truly what else did you expect? The last milenia alone, you've been lifeless, dead. But now you want to return to your post? Where were you when we were struggling, when me and Caius had to stop the Volturi falling into ruin!"

"How dare you… I created this coven as much as you, Aro."

"How dare me?" Aro laughed darkly, his darker side emerging with each passing breath. He kept pushing deeper, deeper than anyone in his family had dared to go. Deep where the pain lay. The secrets.

And, with one taunting comment that ignored all sense of consequence created a whirlwind of the past that neither was prepared for. One that eventually, both brothers would come to regret.

"Brother, you seem to forget yourself… After all, it was you that slept with any living thing after she was gone. We both loved her more than anything, and when I was crumbling under the weight of my grief with Sulpicia, where were you? Or, perhaps who?"

The crash that followed was enough to send a shockwave through the castle; alerting everyone inside to the shattering sound. The brothers fought for a while, smashing into everything in sight within aro's office. Splintered wood, paper and dust fell around them in a smoke screen of pain and violence. Various threats were yelled; a millennia of repressed thoughts finally coming to light in this dark room, that glowed too brightly it felt like they'd burn.

Like Icarus, Aro had flown too close to the sun.

With a thump, Aro collapsed to the floor, held by Marcus' venom grip; wrapped around his throat.

That was the soft, wise face of his beloved brother. But, at that moment he wasn't there. Revenge replaced him, his every essence - his very soul.

"I should kill you for even speaking her name."

"Marcus, stop!" Sulpicia's cry echoed, as she stepped between the two brothers in an attempt to push them apart.

"Sulpicia get back" Aro choked, fearing for his mate's safety as he tried to push against the boulderous force that was his brother at that moment. But, reminiscent of his wife's bold spirit, she didn't listen. Likewise, listening to the urgent call of the mate bond to protect him. Even if it meant her life.

"Get off him, Marcus." she warned in a dark tone that rarely surfaced.

"It does not matter what was said, let us just be done with this childish behaviour." Athena echoed.

"You don't understand what was said, Sia." Marcus hissed, digging his fingers deeping into Aro's crumbling neck. "I should kill him for even disrespecting her name, do you know what I have been through?"

"Marcus, let him go, I am not asking again."

Caius, unusually, was the calm, rational one. "We all dearly love her, Marcus, after all we went through it together. Do not lose yourself now."

However, it was too late. Gone was his seemingly sweet, innocent sister. The woman many outsiders mocked as weak, as Aro's puppet or trophy wife. They didn't see her equally matched conniving, dark nature. Sulpicia and Aro were a match some might say was made in hell, but even she wouldn't allow her beloved brother to hurt her mate.

It all happened so fast, Sulpicia pouncing to remove Marcus' grip from her mate's neck. The heightened emotions made Marcus' vision blurred, his rationality. It was all gone in a single second of doubt.

Marcus didn't initially hear Sulpicia's cry of pain as she fell back from where he'd struck her. He flinched back, dropping Aro back to the floor where he grasped at his neck. He saw the anger alight in his brother's eyes, the reality of what happened suddenly setting in, like icy water following through his veins.

But, he saw Athena's look of shock and disgust. In over 3 millennials he'd never raised his hand to either of his sisters, never even dared to or even considered it. Shaking he stared at the hand that had struck her with. Regret began flowing in. Shame. Then disgust.

"I'm a monster." he repeated to no one but himself; ignoring the calls of his name, Marcus fled from the room.

These twisted games fate would play. From which, they were the chess pieces. Pawns.

"He didn't mean it Aro, don't be ridiculous."

"He lost himself..."

"You were both out of order… both out of your minds. What the fuck were you thinking?"

Every word became a blur in his mind, Marcus didn't know what to do at that moment besides to get away. That call to disappear coming from every cell hidden with his dead, immortal soul.

Run.

So he did. Far away, deep underground where even the highest-ranking Volturi guards were afraid to go. He'd know they never look for him down here. He could escape. Finally fly away.

It was there he heard a rustling, a slight sound. It encompassed the symphony of a predator, a lion approaching its prey. And, so Marcus skulkled along the dark corridor, casting a ghastly shadow of evil along the lit stony wall. He smelt it before he saw her. Eyeing her fragile form that lay collapsed in the iron cell like a broken doll; thrown away, like a forgotten toy when a child became too old.

"What are you doing here?" she spat, eyes still venomous and alive with fire like he'd seen in the throne room. "Did you come to finish the job?"

_Was that a challenge?_ Marcus had to restrain himself, reign in the fiery spirit Aro had awoken in his office a mere few moments ago. It was strange how much this single human girl could bring out of him… this crazy, innate anger, uncontrollable energy he'd not felt in a long time.

In a fucked up way, she made him feel sound again. Alive.

"No, I'm not here to kill you..."

"I don't believe you, just fucking get on with it, you bastard."

"Oh Cassandra" he purred, breathing out every syllable of her beautifully twisted name. "we are only beginning, my sweet."

**AN: Did that ending give you goosebumps too?**

**I know it certainly did when I was writing it! Wow a lot happened this chapter. Aro and Marcus' strained relationship is something i really wanted to touch on, since they both loved didyme.**

**thank you also for the reviews on the last chapter, i got an unhelpful one so that delayed my writing but im trying my best! its my birthday soon, so leave your predictions or what you enjoyed for me to read!**

**Lady-queen, thank you for your review! its so sweet you love my story, thank you :) i hope you enjoyed this chapter, i will touch on more who framed cas next time as she reveals some things to marcus in their conversation. please let me know what you thought!**

**until next time!**


	10. Chapter 10 - The Kiss

The sky, previously lit a calm light blue, had now erupted into a roaring flame of red. Upon a chessboard neither knew existed, the two, crazed lovers danced together in their twisted game of hate. Those muddled emotions of anger clouded how missguided they truly were. How much destruction could be caused by someone else's lies; casted by that crooked hand.

Each thought they were winning - Cas by resisting, Marcus by spurring on. However, in that moment the king realised in all his life he'd never known the true meaning of insanity. That was until now, of course. Long ago, Aro had mentioned it… repeating the same sequence of events over and over again, but expecting different results.

And, as Marcus held the fragile girl, it begged the question had he crossed that small boundary between revenge and lunacy?

Where had things started to go wrong? Had it been since he'd lost Didyme? When his pure soul began slipping into that dark depression that it seemed he'd never escape?

Or perhaps, things had really gone bad when he'd met _her_.

Cas, however found herself asking the same question, as she hissed in agony at her soft body hitting the rough floor of the cell.

"Are you done?"

Marcus however, stood admiring his work. Like Caius, he held a dark streak, and Cassandra to him resembled a prized porcelain doll; painted beautifully, but sick on the inside - that's what he was interested in breaking open.

Her creamy human skin was like a puzzle to him, a long-awaited mystery to be solved. Perhaps if he kept pushing, her skin would eventually blossom with cracks, like a vampire… not those splotchy bruises he'd usually seen litter her pale flesh.

So, with a smirk, Marcus gave his human an answer.

"You will not speak." His smile widening at noting the clotted blood dashed across her blonde curls like a Cheshire cat. _He liked it._ It gave her a wild, crazed look; proving she was still alive. Fighting. It would make her surrender all that much more satisfying.

But as usual, she surprised him. Sticking out her tongue like a bratty child, she teased him with that piece of tiny pink flesh, taunting him back and forth; driving his delirious mind to the brink of insanity. "Says who?"

"Your resistance is futile." he pointed out, using the tip of his polished black shoe to flip her body over so their eyes met. "You will fall to me eventually… tell me of everything you know, your involvement and the others… it will all be mine - the completed puzzle of your mind."

She laughed again, the movement causing a cloud of soot to rise and fall in the air surrounding her body. "Don't you understand? I really had nothing to do with it? Sure, I've participated in a bunch of other illegal shit, but not this. I would never kill somebody for no reason. That's stupid."

"I refuse to engage in this conversation with you again."

"Then why are you even here? Don't you have people to do this for you?"

"Usually my brother is in charge of interrogations" Marcus revealed pacing back until he was almost leaning against the iron bars "however, I thought it best to see to this one personally."

"Wow, I feel so honored..."

"If I were you, I would be very careful about how you speak to me."

"Careful?" she repeated with a giggle, eyeing him with those beautiful deep eyes "why? Should I be afraid of you?"

She flinched as her back hit the stone-brick wall, it all happening too fast for her to comprehend. Legs dangling as he again held her within his iron grip. "Do not test me." he breathed out in such a quiet, low voice she almost didn't hear it. Only, his cold breath gliding across her cheek the reminder he'd spoken.

"Why?" she provoked again, "You know what they say about you right? Eleazer said not to even bother with you… that you were too depressed to even function... that your wife's death-"

"Enough." he growled, his control and sanity slipping. With each descent deeper, his fingers dug harder into her fragile little neck that he could snap. But she didn't appear to be afraid, no. If anything it only irked her on further.

"What are you trying to prove?" she whispered, creasing her brow. "or, who are you trying to prove yourself to? Your guard? Your family?"

_She couldn't be serious-_

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Or perhaps her? What was her name again? …Didym-"

He needed to silence her, shut her up; those words that she was saying. So with a single movement but not a single thought, Marcus Volturi sealed those toxic lips of hers with his own. It was like the coldest ice meeting a roaring meteor of fire. Cas gasped, eyes stuck wide open in shock. She struggled, pushing against his strong arms, but then couldn't resist leaning into it. Closing her eyes, she surrendered herself to those hidden feelings, the soft feeling of his lips, how safe and completely at rest she felt at being nestled within his arms. Being encased in a warm halo that smelled like the fresh bark in the woods or the kiss of salty sea-water upon her cheek.

Somehow, in that moment, even her anger knew this was meant to be.

The two of them. So twisted, but together they became beautiful. Whole.

For what felt like a lifetime for both, in reality only lasted a few seconds. Marcus coming to his senses at realising what he'd just done recoiled in horror. Noting her flushed cheeks and swollen lips he felt his stomach lurch. _What had he done?_

Cas stood breathlessly, feeling empty at the distance between them. She couldn't help what escaped next, completely in disbelief at what had transpired between them.

"What the fuck."

Silence.

He made a move to leave, to leave her there with everything that happened like a coward escaping his own crime, "no!" Cas called after him, her voice reaching his lost mind beyond the iron bars that sealed it. "You can't keep running from your past! It will catch up with you eventually, I know that now. Marcus, please!"

He was surprised to hear her use his name for the first time in a non hateful way, more surprising was how much he enjoyed hearing it from her beautiful lips and voice.

"Keep your voice down." Marcus hissed staring straight back into those beautiful deep eyes he hated so much.

"Says the man who just fucking kissed me!" she argued back, pointing her finger into his chest.

"It was a mistake, I don't know what came over me... I just wanted to silence you!"

"And that was the first thing that came to your mind? Are you fucking insane?"

They kept arguing back and forth in hushed angry whispers. That in the end came to nothing.

It wasn't until later when Marcus found himself in Aro's office with his family that memory, kept replaying in his desperate mind. He felt like he'd finally gone insane. Lost it.

He couldn't even form a coherent thought. Word.

What was there to say? Nothing.

"Marcus?" Athena asked, pulling him back from his daydream, his stare blank.

"Yes, sister?"

"Are you sure you're fine?" she asked kindly before mumbling on in concern.

"My mind is at peace, Athena. Truly."

Luckily, his red-haired sister seemed to take his lies for an answer. Turning over to look at the laptop perched on Sulpicia's lap, the two whispered in blurs to each other.

"You seem shaken."

"Ro," Sulpicia chided with a warning glance, "it has been a long day for us all. Let Marcus rest."

"No, our meddling brother is right for once." Caius stated, eyes accusingly boring into Marcus' guilty soul. "Just spit it out. What happened between you and that girl?"

At the mention of her name, Marcus' dead heart seemed to skip several beats. Did Aro already know? Brought Caius into his sick scheme of baiting it out of him slowly, like some twisted child's game. He'd been so careful to not brush skin with him earlier…

No. Marcus reaffirmed, upon a second thought. If Caius knew he wasn't one to beat around the bush, like their more sneakier and convincing younger brother. His head would already be detached from his body. Perhaps smoldering in the glowing fireplace already. Purple dust and glittering smoke being the only evidence he'd been on this earth at all.

It was a funny thought. However, one that Caius interrupted with his needless meddling, that in honesty wasn't so missguided as it seemed. The three brothers truly knew each other well. Perhaps too well.

"Nothing happened." Marcus affirmed in a strong voice he had forgotten even existed. By the slightly shocked stares on his siblings faces, perhaps they'd forgotten too.

"Sure, I slapped her around a little, but nothing more."

"You did what?" Sulpicia asked, before Caius interrupted her with a laugh "that's my brother!"

"Caius!" Athena shunned, followed by a loud whack on the thigh. "Stop it."

"It didn't look like nothing" Caius pushed with a gleeful smirk, remembering the way Marcus had emerged from the dungeons with his shirt practically falling off him.

"You didn't-"

"No of course not, sister."

Marcus didn't need a gift in that moment to feel his sister's collective sighs in relief at that moment. "If you want to fuck her after that's different." Sulpicia affirmed, as she leant into her own mate's greedy touch. "But not before trial; those are the rules."

"And if I believe you to be guilty of a crime, my queen? Perhaps I should lock you up too…"

And then the usually stern Sulpicia burst into a giggle. The past notions of embarrassment long gone, especially after all this time. It made Marcus happy - to see his brothers and sisters so in love and happy, but his dead heart yearned for that too. To feel so alive. Cloud nine. Something even casual sex couldn't create - that feeling of pure adoration. Trust.

"Tomorrow?" Marcus asked Caius, ignoring how Sulpicia and Aro had fallen into their own bubble on the opposite sofa. Caius eyed them with a smirk, his wandering hand replicating Aro's idea.

"Her interrogation… You want to join me?"

Not trusting his words or emotions in that moment, Marcus nodded. "Good" Caius grinned "it's been too long."

"We meet tomorrow?"

"Outside my rooms… or perhaps yours?" Caius questioned as an afterthought, his lust-clouded mind already distracted by his voluptuous mate's gaze.

"Mine then."

Caius patted him on the back as they exited the room. With a flick, he closed the door, blocking off Sulpicia's cry as he drew his own petite mate into his arms.

"We are a call away." Athena reminded him, giving him a small hug as Caius' hands wandered down her body.

"Enjoy your night, brother."

"And you." Caius responded with a smirk, ignoring the squeal from Athena as he pulled her over his shoulder; her long red curls dangling down his back.

As Marcus walked back to his wing, the sky had become dark, almost black. A few stars glittered, but nothing compared to the glowing pearl of the moon. He stared at it, letting it encase him in a glowing aura of light. His mind slipped back to that girl. Her defiant stare… her soft lips.

No- he couldn't.

However unknowingly, Cas was thinking of him too. And, as she lay face up in that dark cell, not seeing the same beautiful sky as Marcus their souls were connected. To be honest, she couldn't believe the past half hour had happened, his interrogation, then frantic rage at her lack of answers. It brought her back to a time. A time before it all happened.

"_So the Volturi?" she had asked Carlisle in what felt like a century ago, but probably had only been a few years._

"_What about them?" he questioned cautiously back, the topic coming up before but not out of nowhere like now. _

_She pointed with a hand towards the king on the other side, a vacant, blank expression on what appeared to be his bored face draped by long brown locks. "You haven't mentioned him before." _

_Carlisle was stunned for a second. "Marcus? There isn't much to know about him, to be honest, Cas."_

"_Why does he look so sad?"_

"_Well you see our kind we have our mates, our perfect half" Carlisle explained, pacing away from the painting that hung above his office desk. "But when they die a part of ourselves and our very soul dies with them too…"_

_Oh._

"_So he lost his mate?"_

"_It's a real surprise he's still alive, most seek death after their mate has passed."_

"_So why not him?"_

"_No-one knows, perhaps he has something else to live for. Maybe he's waiting."_

"_For what?"_

"_Something to make eternity seem too short. Something that changes the very essence of your soul… you know what they call them, right?"_

Back in the present, Cas slowly gave into the exhaustion plaguing her body. It had only been a night ago she found herself in the same position, but in that moment, her short-circuited brain could only focus on one singular thought that consumed her very soul and being.

Yes, Marcus Volturi had fucking kissed her...

But, why had she liked it so much?

**AN: did that ending give you goosebumps too?**

**Wow, i literally rewrote this chapter entirely 4 times! I kept changing my mind, but in the end i decided it was best to finally give our two hopeless lovers something. sure, both are conflicted as fuck right now, but i promise thyell fix things soon!**

**Cas' interogation is next chapter! leave your thoughts on that for me! **

**Thank you for all your support too - it really inspires me to keep writing, and please take any spelling/grammar mistakes with a pinch of salt. I'm trying to be less of a perfectionist with my writing lately, so i can publish more. :)**

**Lady-Queen99: Thank you so much for your 2 reviews! i hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thank u so muhc for your kind words! your comment actually inspired me to touch more on the relationships between our volturi family in this chapter, so i hope you liked that! i guess after spending so long together you do eventually become a little wild haha - let me know what you thought! more about who framed cas will be in the next chapter with her interrogation with caius and Marcus... :)**


	11. Chapter 11 - The Flame of Truth

Having been raised in Ancient Greece, Athena had gathered from a young child that some things were just better left unsaid.

From the time her red, bouncy curls had reached her waist, she'd expected to meet a similar fate to other women her age; marriage and children. However, fate itself had different ideas, a different plan - that, came in the form of her beloved mate, Caius. She'd been the only one who'd seen through his harsh facade, and so together their human masks fell into a perfect puzzle of love.

Previously, Athena hadn't believed in love at first sight, trusting it was a thing of legends. But, when their eyes had met she'd just known. Deep down. Almost as if her soul was calling his to her… _he was hers, she was his. _

Caius had been the only one who broke through that psychological barrier - that didn't stay away.

So now, as she nestled against her fairer-haired mate, a peaceful smile graced her full lips. Leaning into his touch Caius laughed, both content from the afterglow and their love. At eyeing his beautiful mate however, he paused, noticing the faintest hint of concern within her crimson orbs. "What bothers you, petal? Tell me so I can kill them. And quickly."

Athena giggled but then sighed, she knew in this moment she should feel happy, at peace. _But she didn't. No,_ something was troubling her. _It just didn't feel right._

"That girl…" she began, pausing to face Caius who's hand splayed out against her cheek. "Do you really think something happened between them?"

"What do you mean, darling?"

"Nothing, I suppose…" she sighed in barely a whisper, leaning to turn deeper into Caius' touch before he stopped her "Athena" he began, "voice your thoughts love, you know I will never judge you or think you stupid. Please, trust me."

"But, I do not even know myself Cai, the whole situation just seems so strange…"

"I agree" he confirmed, comfortingly running his long fingers through those red ringlets he loved. "Perhaps, you are shaken by her connection… I never thought we'd even come close to catching Didyme's killer, and well it has rattled me too, seeing _her_..."

"I at least thought I had made peace with it… in my own way, but seeing that girl there, someone who could have possibly taken away our sister… it just felt so unnerving."

Caius didn't respond through words, instead opting to draw his tiny mate within his strong arms and caging her there within a halo of his deepest love and comfort. Many struggled with silence, thinking it better to rush in with words to fill the gaps. Caius and Athena however, had grown accustomed to it over their almost three millenniums of marriage. _Now_ they appreciated it. The silence allowed them to bask in the beauty of their union, the time they shared together.

"Something just feels wrong, but I cannot also put my finger on it… I think I shall join both you and Marcus."

"Thea-"

"Caius." she affirmed, peeking out from his cradle of arms with a strong look in her eyes. "I will not argue with you on this, Didyme was my sister too. She deserves that much."

"Petal-" Caius pleaded pausing as his mate gave him that deadly look that screamed do not object with me, before sighing in surrender; realising she wasn't going to back down. "Of course, darling. We shall also bring along Felix and Demetri then; _just in case."_

Athena scoffed at the notion, knowing full-well her warlord of a mate wouldn't allow a potential threat to even come within five metres of her. "Oh, so you cannot protect me yourself now,_ Caius?"_

Her king growled, a sound so shattering it sounded like it came from the caverns of his throat. And as his eyes darkened, Athena thought it best to put rest to her little joke "I am only jesting with you, my sweet."

A kiss. "You better be."

Another one. "Do not be so silly with me!"

He flipped her over, so she was fully encased by his towering form. There, like a young child he hid himself within her red hair, like hide and seek. "Cai" she whispered, with a childish glee. "are you feeling protective over your mate, hmmm?"

"Thea, the thought of you being at risk… is hard for me."

"I know, my sweet" Athena calmy reassured him, running her fingers through his equally long hair "besides, I want to look out for Marcus as well, I don't like the idea of him being alone with her… she brings something dark out of him."

So it was settled. The silence rolled over them again in a wave, one that to Caius smelt like vanilla and strawberries - the delicate scent of his mate. Athena's red curls brushed against his cheek as he settled deeper there. The only sound being the tapping of her fingernails whilst she traced meaningless pictures into his back.

"Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are to me, Athena?"

"How lucky am I to have you?" Caius added, emphasising each word with a kiss on her delicate neck.

"Often, love." she laughed, leaning back to give him access.

"Then perhaps…"

"We are not having sex again, Caius."

"Petal" he whined like a puppy, not anything like the stoic, harsh king the public were used to seeing. She cut him off with a kiss, the reminder of the dark thing they had to do standing like an omen in her ruby eyes.

"We have to meet Marcus, remember?" she chided, stroking his chin with her fingers before leaning in for a kiss, before he interrupted in complete disbelief. "It's morning already?"

"You men!" she laughed, leaping from their mess of sheets they called a bed to dress. "you lose track of time as easily as you…"

"Don't finish that!"

It had almost reached ten by the time the duo approached Marcus' door. The sun was beginning to rise, and the faint sound of birds chirping could be heard outside the iron walls of the castle. Marcus, met the couple outside with a but a knowing smirk.

"I wasn't expecting you both to be on time…"

"Don't start, brother." Athena giggled, draping her tiny arms around his waist. "I missed you."

"It's good to see you, brother." Caius admitted warmly, offering him a deep smile no-one else saw. "But, how are you feeling after yesterday? After everything?"

"Better than I anticipated."

"That's good." Athena hummed, nuzzling her head into his chest. "I'm proud of you."

"Are you joining us today?" Marcus dared to ask, sensing something deeper in the air. "Caius isn't happy about it…" Athena sighed before smiling cheekily "but he knows better than to question me."

"More like I want to keep my balls..."

And with that, they made their way downstairs. The interrogation room was located on the lower levels of the Volturi castle, buried away, and kept hidden. Supposedly, if you ended up there, in some ways you were already dead. It was reserved for those who had committed the most horrendous, unspeakable crimes; ones that required investigation beyond Aro's transient power. Although, his gift usually allowed the Volturi to easily distinguish between the innocent and guilty with a touch of his fingertips, in Cas' case however, her memories hadn't saved her.

Aro had read so many minds over the last three millenia, however hers… hers shocked him. In attempting to describe it to Sulpicia, he'd compared it to looking through murky water; knowing something dangerous was lurking underneath, but not being able to see it from the surface.

The girl's memories had been a complete blur… a rollercoaster of emotions, colours and thoughts. Aro had caught slight glimpses of times she'd cried, been angry, and the rare happiness. However, the rest was bleak. The only solid image he could make out was the Romanians face; one comforting her whilst the other barked insults.

Stefan had called her a _'monster'_ … that's what had interested Aro most. Their connection surely could reveal the girl's motive in murdering his sister, and well if he could finally kill the Romanians in the same swing, he'd be glad.

Elezaer's warning however, lingered in the back of his mind. The girl's unknown, allurious gift was like a bad omen. _But, what could it possibly be?_

Cas however, knew nothing of this. Even when Marcus had attacked her in the cell last night, he never muttered a word; knowing intel was best when kept secret. She had no idea how much they knew, or if they even did at all. But one thing was clear - she was in trouble. Deep. In all the stories Carlisle, Elezaer and others had told her, none had ever mentioned someone emerging from a Volturi interrogation alive. After all, they were designed to crack you; tear apart your mental psyche from the inside out. She'd even heard Caius, one of the leaders, enjoyed it; seeing it as some sick twisted game. As if every suspect that stayed in that fated chair was a puzzle, a game for him to crack open and win.

_She had her work cut out for her. That was sure. _

So, not knowing exactly what the Volturi knew of her involvement with less than shady characters over the last few years, Cas decided to opt for a more morally corrupt approach. One she knew Carlisle would disapprove of, but perhaps the Eleazer would support…

After all, her friend had never told her to outright lie… more hinted at it. Of course, to give him plausible deniability when Aro read his memories.

"Through here." a guard prompted, dangling the chain that was attached to by her wrists and feet to guide Cas through a tall, iron door. Her last glimpse of the outside being some writing etched above the entryway, burned into the hard metal like a bad omen, a warning. "Interrogation Room."

Her lungs burned when she stepped inside. The air inside felt cold and still… suffocating. Like nothing living breathed in this room. Almost as if it was sucking the oxygen from her starving body with each passing second. To Cas, it felt like she was inhaling death… and, _perhaps she was._

The guard nudged her towards a lonely chair that sat at one side of the table, opposite three others. Glancing around, she eyed the bare walls, with only a window on its side. Faint white scratches danced along them, sending shivers down Cas' spine. It screamed desperation, pain. One that they couldn't escape. One that had died in this very room. Perhaps in that very chair.

"The Masters will be with you shortly."

"Thank you."

Even in her darkest moments Cas was still polite. She owed herself that much. The guard however, said no more. He gave her a look that she thought appeared sympathetic… or angry. Cas didn't even know his name, but everyone knew hers. _Would she ever become more than the girl accused of killing their master's wife?_

Probably not, Cas conceded, sinking dejectedly back into the hard plastic, letting her hair fall down the back of it. Over the last day, it'd become knotted, tough mattes bound together by blood and broken hair. She hadn't had a shower in almost 3 days and she knew she'd looked worse after Marcus had thrown her around…

But, at the thought of his face, her lips twitched into a smile at the memory of their kiss. _Did his family know?_ Had he told them about kissing the human, the girl who was accused of murdering his wife?

Perhaps yes. But most likely no... Could she use that as leverage over him? A small ounce of bargaining to get her out of this seemingly never-ending hole. It was like a bottomless pit, one she'd dug for years and not been able to get out of. Carlisle and Elezaer felt like they stood on the outside, dangling down a glimmering rope of hope, however one that never seemed to reach deep enough.

Perhaps down in the squalor and decay was where she belonged. That's what he had told her; "Y_ou hurt people Cas."_

And so, in that moment cas couldn't find it within herself to be sad, angry or anything really. She simply drummed her fingers on the black wooden table top, and awaited her fate. Not understanding it came in the form of a tall dark-haired man. Ironically he'd be her hero.

Marcus' mind however, was a million miles away. It felt like he'd waited millennials… forever for this very moment. It was something he'd dreamed of, thought about a million times. Sometimes during his depression-struck days he'd daydream of his revenge - the day he finally got his own back. When he could finally say he'd done it. Avenged her.

His wife been in that cold, dark place for too long, and he'd been trapped there with her. Each of them entwined in webs of grief and pain. But both unable to break free, move on. Perhaps, like Aro and Caius claimed, this would give him closure. Allow him to finally move on… _Whatever that meant._

However, the more logical rational side of his brain urged there was something deeper going on here. _Something wasn't quite right…_

_Looking back from the present, he could now see how easily both him, Cas and their family had fallen into their little trap. How far, they'd all been led astray. Back then, they were blinded by revenge, and her…? Well, clouded by the need to protect the ones she loved._

In their own way they thought they were winning. In reality, both were sinking deeper into that murky water Aro had seen in her memories. Drowning in it.

"Marcus," Caius paused as they came outside the interrogation room, his hand on his brother's shoulder. "If you don't want to-"

"Caius," Marcus interrupted him, placing his hand over his brother's "this is something we have, I have to do. For her."

Caius and Athena nodded in agreement, their heads bowed in respective grief and wanting justice for their fallen sister. "It's what she deserves."

"Especially, after all this time." His brother added with a sympathetic nod.

The trio sat down together in unison opposite the accused. Their faces remained impassive, a blank canvas. However it was clear to all in the room, justice would be served. Marcus, usually stoic and uninterested, found himself itching to speak but remained silent. He couldn't even bring himself to look at the girl, let alone talk to her. The memory of her soft, warm lips replayed in his mind, as he clenched his teeth. _It was a stupid mistake,_ he reminded himself, pushing those feelings away despite how right they felt in his heart...

"Cassandra." Athena began, glancing up from the pile of papers in her lap. "You are accused of numerous charges… consorting with known enemies of the state, illegal passage across the border, and most notably treason, how do you plead?"

"Not guilty."

"Then we shall begin."

It felt like so much time had passed in that tiny room, but at the same time it felt like none had passed at all. Cas' head was throbbing, her hands shaking. They'd been grilling her, asking her questions to which she didn't have the faintest idea of the answer to. Initially she'd tried to rack her brain, figure out some magical alibi that would save her... prove her innocence of this heinous crime. However, her human memory was flawed; any past event seemed so muddy now...

"What do you mean you don't know?" Caius barked, "you just said you were there! You either were or you weren't!"

"I don't know" Cas sobbed, leaning down into her hands and hiding her face "please I can't remember."

"Let's move onto something else." Athena suggested, leaning back and crossing her legs. She glanced towards Marcus hesitantly, "your memories showed The Romanians. Speak of your connection to them."

"Them?" Cas laughed, wiping a fallen tear of stress from her flushed cheek "I haven't spoken to them in years if that's what you're getting at."

"When was the last time you had contact?"

"Probably when I was seventeen..."

"And you are now?"

"Nineteen. Twenty in two weeks."

"What happened to cause the split?"

Suddenly the girl's cheesy, confident demeanor shattered. She froze, almost like she was reliving something painful, her eyes cloudy like Aro when he was using his gift. "It's complicated…" Cas explained weakly, her fingers twisted together in a tight knot that threatened to burst at any point.

"Girl" Caius barked "explain, now."

"We had a falling out over something."

"What?"

"I don't see what this has to do anything-"

"Stop attempting to deflect." Athena urged, pushing her further in the hopes to finally gain some useful intel, "we're not here to judge, and you're not a snitch. Besides, why hurt yourself for their sake?"

"It's not as easy as you make out."

"Then explain it to me."

"He had always hated me…" Cas finally confessed, eyes going cloudy and her fingers clenched together under the table. It seemed the words were painful to say out-loud, as if it made them real. _Alive._

"Who Stefan? Vladimir?"

"The first one." she noted, flinching at the sounds of both their names, but more noticeably at the first. Marcus however, noted her refusal to even speak his name as useful information to reflect on later.

"Why?"

"I don't know, or don't think there really was a reason to be honest…" she babbled on, not making any attempt at eye contact and instead stared transfixed at a grey corner of the wall. "The breakup of our relationship was inevitable, me and V were always cordial but it was never anything more than that, especially after-"

A pause. A silence.

"After?"

"He threatened to turn me in."

Caius laughed, "you cannot be serious? The Romanians abiding by the law? Becoming a Volturi informant? Do not take us as fools, girl."

"It wasn't for your benefit, don't be stupid" she clicked back, now staring piercingly into his own red eyes. "He just wanted to cover his own back if any day something like this happened…"

"So, why didn't they? Turn you in?" Athena prodded prodded, genuinely curious at the response, and attempting to guide the conversation away from something that made her less angry.

She smiled. Wickedly.

"Eleazar told them the truth... what would happen if they did."

They waited for the girl to continue. And, she did. "See, there were strange things going on at the time. Unexplained things. Things you couldn't even understand as a great immortal with all the wealth of knowledge they even held. But, somehow. Somehow they knew it was me. Like I was connected somehow."

"I don't understand…"

"And, I was."

"Connected to what? An organized crime ring?"

"No," she sighed "that's boring, too much effort. It was the simple things, things that drew my interest. _Someone went missing."_

Deciding they were getting nowhere, Marcus focused on a different direction. "Elezaer told Aro you're gifted. Have you ever used your power before, or know of it?"

"Why are you asking questions you already know the answer to?"

Silence. She was always so cheeky with him. "This is a chance for you to make your case to us, Cassandra." Athena explained, giving her mate a nervous look at her tone. The girl now seemed completely fearless compared to before… too accepting.

"I know you've already seen Carlisle's notes." Another shared glance, they thought it too quick for her to notice. Thought.

"What?" Cas probed, "are you wondering if you should finally reveal this the _so-called evidence_ you have against me? Let's hear it."

Caius began. "You probably wonder why you were singled out for this charge, as opposed to us finding out on our own." Cas nodded. "Well, during a mission, me and my brother came across an immortal."

"He was about to be executed," Caius sighed, eyes becoming soft in a way Cas had never seen before. His rare show of emotion. "But, before I could tear his head off he started screaming… some random nonsense, saying he knew some intel about who killed Didyme."

Cas' face became even more confused, her brain scrambling at trying to figure out who it was. "Where? What coven?"

"Mikhailov." her heart stopped. _No._

"I believe you know them quite well from what they said, and unlike you, they're memories were crystal clear."

"Listen, ok," she burst out, surrendering her hands up "they would say anything to save their own skin!"

"Really?" Caius taunted her with a smirk, as if at a casino and about to play his winning hand "he claimed you were gifted, unlike any human he'd ever met before."

"Did he now?"

"There were rumors you were able to kill a vampire as a human…"

"Those were just stupid lies."

"Maybe," Caius conceded, weighing up options physically with his hands "but with the evidence in their memories? I don't think so…."

"I should kill you."

"Restrain her."

"Get your hands off me!"

"Perhaps we should test it, their claims I mean?"

"Don't you fucking dare…"

"Bring it in." Athena signalled to the guards, leaning into her mate's side as the human thrashed around like a wild newborn.

"Calm down, Cassandra." Marcus commanded, eyes narrowing in on Cas' as she stilled for a second to give him a dark glare. "the worst case is you die, but well, that would be your fate regardless."

"You're all insane!-"

But, her pleading words were cut off by a large guard entering the room. In his hands he held a shiny, gold touch. So beautiful with its intricate craftsmanship, so unique Cas was instantly able to recognize it. The torch Caius had used to burn Irina all those months ago at the Cullen stand-off.

"Please" she whispered, now slumped in the two guard's hold. Like a final plea. A surrender. "Don't do this… Marcus."

"Felix," the dark-haired king spoke, the guard stopping for a second to listen "you may proceed."

Cas screamed, as they pulled up the sleeve of her jumper, holding her pale, fragile arm out right next to the lapping flame of the torch. Caius however, leaned back into his chair, a huge grin painted on his face. He enjoyed seeing her finally squirm. For him, the best moment was when they finally broke - a tiny personal victory that would last a lifetime.

When the flame touched Cas' bare skin, Athena flinched, waiting to hear an agonising scream from the tiny girl… tears or even blood. _But no, nothing happened. At all._ Instead, the flame just danced up and down her arm, only catching fire to the edge of her sleeve. Cas' face remained impassive. Completely blank.

"Do I fascinate you?" she asked Marcus, a gleeful look in her eyes, but he didn't respond. So shocked by the truth of the whispers they'd heard. So surprised he'd finally found the person responsible - his wife's killer.

"So it's true…" Caius breathed in disbelief.

"Say it."

"You're not human."

**AN: What did you think of that ending?**

**I tried to make this chapter much longer than the others and finally get somewhere! Caius' last words were something i had in mind from the beginning, and its so nice to finally get somewhere with this fic.**

**Thank you so much for all the support and love on this! i got so many comments last chapter and it really made my day, i spent all day writing :(**

**Leave your thoughts for me, and even predictions! i know some people have antipicated a reincarnation moment, which i find interesting, but i did try and make the plot of this as original as possible!**

**much love to all my readers (heart)**

Lady-Queen99: Firstly, im so happy you enjoyed this chapter! thank you again for reviewing :) and your words are so sweet! i love marcus as a character and wanted to give him some much-deserved happiness finally! and yes i love including some darkness here and there! they kissed! but what will happen next?

josienightowl: i hope this chapter answered your comment, although they did in a way attempt to harm her cas' power saved her! but if shes not human what is she? i promise not a werewolf before anyone thinks that! let me know what you thought of this chapter, and thank you again for your review :)


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